Monday, April 29, 2013

Poudre River Fishing Report 4/26/2013

Travel at work managed to keep me off the river for awhile;
however, 70 degrees on the heels of our last snow storm meant work or no work
it was fishin time.

8 am rolled around and like clockwork, JT, was at the house
ready to load up the truck. After a quick check of our gear, we were heading to
the Poudre. The 45 minute drive with our coffee and breakfast burritos gave us
time to talk about everything and anything, most of which would make no sense to
anyone but us. It is amazing how many worldly problems get solved enroute to
your favorite fishing destination.

Driving up the Poudre Canyon, we were excited to see what
the river was going to have in store for us. We received two snow storms and
rain since the last time we were on the river. Clear and sunny skies welcomed
us to the canyon and we had no wind! It was one of those mornings that even JT
got out and drank his coffee and took it all in before we started to gear up.

The Canyon is starting to green up and the nitrogen from the
High Park Fire ashes is bringing new life to the canyon. There were a handful of fly fishers that were
going to make the most of the warm weather. The water level was up from two
weeks ago and the water was a gray color, no doubt the early signs of the
impact the High Park Fire will have on the river this run off. The river was
running at 50cfs and faint images of rocks could be seen to about two feet. The
water temperature was 48 degrees.

Tenkara rods were the rods of the day combined with double
nymph rigs. We fished #16/#18 black zebra midges, ABU, and hares ear. JT landed
a few rainbows on a #14 copper John. The drifts were slow and near the bottom
in the pools we fished. The takes continued
to be subtle stops in the drift. The fish
were hanging out in the riffles and pocket water. The drifts in the pocket
water were slow as well; yet the takes were definitely more enthusiastic.We fished
upstream and allowed the drifts to continue past us. We found fish near the
bottom in the pools and tight to the rocks in the pocket water. We
caught browns and rainbows during the day. The largest fish of the day was a poor sucker
that I managed to foul hook in the top of his head!

With the exception of a rude “I wish I were a fly fisherman
when I grow up” trying to show his girlfriend to fly fish in the pool we were
fishing in and me losing a Motorola radio in the river, it was a wonderful day.

We called it quits at around 3:00pm.

Tips
from the Trip:

Get on
the water and fish!...The best way to improve your skills is to get out and
do it.

Etiquette…
politely educate the idiots that show up with their cooler, girlfriend, dog,
duck hunting waders and drop into the water ahead of you close enough that you
could hook them. Give your fellow fly fishers space. Hell if you ask, I'll share it with you!

Minimize
the amount of line on the water… regardless of the style of nymphing you
are doing , minimize the amount of line on the water.

Adjust
the depth of your nymphs…If everything about you is telling you that a fish
is holding in a lie, yet you have not convinced it that you have something it
wants, adjust the depth of your nymphs. Get the nymphs in the zone where the
fish are eating.

Wading
safety in spring conditions and clouded water…Wade cautiously and feel the
bottom with your feet. Make sure each step you take is on solid river bottom
before you make the next step.

Happy Snowy Day Howard! Hope you are doing well! I am glad you were able to get out and enjoy the amazing day since we are in a blizzard again...HAHAHA you can start doing your rain dance buddy! The newbie......when you thought you have seen it all!!!!

Bill! Thanks buddy! You were the inspiration for the tips of the trip section and hopefully I can share some of the things that were memorable from the trip that may have made the difference or not. Thank you for visiting and tight lines to you! Al

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